Newsom ascends in VSGA rankings

There has been a change in the Virginia State Golf Association player rankings of Tiger-like proportion. For the first time since 2003, the man at the top of the rankings is not Keith Decker.

Roger Newsom, a 44-year-old opthalmologist from Virginia Beach, has supplanted Decker thanks to victory in the SunTrust State Open last weekend. Newsom was runner-up in the State Amateur and teamed with Robbie Bradshaw to win the State Four-Ball Championship. He also won the Golden Horseshoe Invitational with Adam Horton.

Newsom has compiled 612 points. Martinsville's Decker is 199 points back. State Amateur champion Brinson Paolini, a high school senior from Virginia Beach, is third.

Richmond attorney Steve Isaacs headlines the senior rankings with victories in the Senior Four-Ball and Senior Stroke Play. Charles Green III of Tazewell is second, and Ward Hamilton of Manakin-Sabot is third.

Virginias' women defeat Carolinas

The Virginias' women are the winners of the Virginias-Carolinas team matches for the fifth time in six years.

The 24-player Virginias team took a 21-12 lead at the end of the two-person captain's choice competition the opening day and capped the victory with an 18-15 margin on the final day (Wednesday) best-ball competition at The Dunes Golf and Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

The Virginias won 55½-43½. It was their first victory on Carolina soil since 2004.

Country Club of Virginia members Boodie McGurn, Lindsay Wortham and Natalie Easterly were members of the team.

Paolini shooting for more history

Brinson Paolini begins defense of his State Junior Boys title next week at Blacksburg Country Club.

The 54-hole stroke play tournament is Tuesday through Thursday. This is the third time Blacksburg CC has been the venue for the State Junior. G.W. Cable of Oakton won in 1994, and William Thompson of South Hill captured the 2003 crown.

Paolini, a senior at Frank Cox High in Virginia Beach, won last year at the Woods course at Kingsmill Resort. Last month, Paolini defeated Roger Newsom 1-up in a 36-hole final to win the State Amateur at Kingsmill's River Course. Paolini is the first player to hold the two titles simultaneously.

The 90-player field is a strong one. Among the challengers is two-time All-Metro golfer of the year Nick Austin of Midlothian, who has finished second to Paolini the past two years in the state Group AAA high school tournament and shared the runner-up spot in last year's State Junior with Garrett Whitmore of Midlothian.

U.S. Junior Amateur alternate Evan Beck of Virginia Beach also is on the list.

Richmond area players in the field in addition to Austin are Matt Ball Jr., Adam Ball, Allen Day, Mikey Cantor, Joseph Cantor, Mitch Bagley, Brian Critzer, Jason Schumacher, Dawson Hobbs, Bryce Chalkley, Austin Gray, Paul Woodson, Michael Swope, Jordan Plahn, Tyler Kee, Michael McLean, Matt Davenport, Matthew Teachey, Keaton Scanlan and Tanner Foutz. - Arthur Utley